By PHILIP C. GALANIS
The past week in Great Britain will long be remembered for the shocking disclosure that the print media in that country sank to an all-time low with the revelations concerning the nefarious and illegal lengths to which the members of the media there would go to get a story. Many of that country’s citizens sat in amazement, revulsion and shame, listening to both the hearings of the British Parliamentary Select Committee that investigated the behavior of the English press, as well as to the penetrating questions that the beleaguered Prime Minister, David Cameron, was compelled to answer in Parliament regarding those developments.
Just when some of us felt that this low and criminal type of journalism would never rear its ugly head in our Commonwealth, in walks Mr. John Marquis who, during his tenure as managing editor of The Tribune, oversaw the transformation of that newspaper from a somewhat respected newspaper engaged in the dissemination of news, to one with tabloid status. Therefore this week, we would like to consider this – does the return of John Marquis as a regular contributing columnist to The Tribune signal the return of a person possessed of journalistic integrity or has he been drafted as a political assassin with one singular objective in mind, namely, doing everything he can to dissuade the Bahamian people from returning the PLP to office when the general election is called next year? Moreover, is he the embodiment of the questionable type of journalistic integrity demonstrated by his fellow Brits and is he bringing that back to infect our young journalists?
The answer to the first question can readily be found in Marquis’ own narrative. He began his column last Wednesday with the following words: “Soon after the 2007 general election, when the PLP were unceremoniously dumped into what we all hoped would be the garbage bin of history… the (PLP) couldn’t possibly seek the public’s support again with Perry Christie at the helm.” This is unadulterated dishonesty by Mr. Marquis and at the outset should clearly signal what his motives are. Just who is he referring to when he says “we all hoped (the PLP) would be dumped into the garbage bin of history”? Mr. Marquis’ assertions are deliberately dishonest and intentionally incorrect.
Why does he choose to completely ignore the fact that in the general election of 2007, not only did the PLP win 18 of the 41 seats in Parliament but did so with a very large percentage of votes? Has he completely dismissed the fact that of the nearly 137,000 votes cast in that election, 64,637 or 46.98 percent of the voters supported the PLP, compared to 68,547 or 49.82 percent for the FNM? In case he lacks the capacity to do the math, there was a difference of only 3,910 votes or less than three percent between the winners and the losers. So deceitful and dishonest is his characterization of “we all” – arrogantly dismissing nearly half the Bahamian voters – that he lacks any credibility for whatever follows in his inaugural incursion into Bahamian politics after a two-year hiatus.
PLP politics is none of John Marquis’ business, but as a political assassin, his obvious objective is to do all that he can to present twisted untruths and nonsensical non-sequiturs about the PLP and why Mr. Christie remains the leader of that party. He laments that because Mr. Christie remains at the helm of the PLP, “doesn’t say much for the PLP…” and by his own assertion, Marquis admits that he is “judging from afar — and I confess four thousand miles of ocean do blur one’s perspective.” It seems that his “blurred perspective” and his clouded and fogged up mind cannot fathom the fact that Mr. Christie has legitimately fended off all challenges to his leadership in democratic exercises within the PLP, surviving as the duly elected leader. That is the process by which we govern ourselves. Sorry, Mr. Marquis, if you cannot understand or accept that.
But it gets worse. Mr. Marquis continues his gratuitous and condescending comments about some of the other leaders of the PLP. He denigrates Mr. Philip “Brave” Davis, the properly elected deputy leader, although he concedes that he sees Davis as “the only possible leader-in-waiting, the sole heir apparent to Pindling’s tarnished crown.” Marquis cannot refrain from writing anything about the PLP without deriding Sir Lynden and his historic political legacy. Then he offers a backhanded compliment to Dr. Bernard Nottage for his “comparative commonsense and rationality.” Dr. Nottage is unquestionably and consistently the best prepared, best researched and most methodical debater in Parliament on the PLP’s team. It is unmistakable that Marquis really hates the PLP and shows it in every poison and patronizing word that he pens.
But he reserves his most caustic and critical comments for Mr. Fred Mitchell who he describes in a feeble and failed attempt at a classical witticism as “Marley’s Ghost of Bahamian politics.” He devotes nearly half of his entire column to castigating an individual who is perhaps one of the brightest minds in the PLP and one of the hardest workers and most visible member of Parliament in his constituency. It is clear that Marquis is really afraid of “Dred Fred” and sinks to a new low by deriding Mitchell for his “five disastrous years as minister of foreign affairs.” It is Marquis’ disdainfully dishonest and derisive depiction of Fred Mitchell that should be relegated to the dust bin. History will probably record that Fred Mitchell was one of the most active, best informed, Caribbean-centric and worldly foreign ministers of modern Bahamian politics.
Mr. Marquis, you are a foreigner and your brand of “journalism” in Bahamian politics will result in your becoming even more persona non grata than you were when you lived among us. Our politics, sir, especially PLP politics, are none of your business. We resent your incursions into our domestic affairs and we regard your methods as highly suspect, just like your compatriots whose underhanded work has been exposed as the unlawful practice that it is.
We got rid of British colonialists of your ilk on July 10, 1973, thirty-eight years ago, and your brand of “journalism” is not welcome here. We suggest that you keep your thoughts about Bahamian politics to yourself. However, if you cannot restrain yourself for whatever reason from trying to play the role of an expert, at least confine yourself to the local arena and cease to represent yourself as the authoritative voice on all things Bahamian for international news media, circling the globe on the worldwide web with your vicious verbiage that no more represents a balanced and fair picture of The Bahamas as does the local newspaper where your column appears.
But Bahamians are onto you now. We have seen what it is you are trying to do and this time we won’t stand for it. We will not swallow the gutter journalism you call truth. This time, one thing is certain: If you persist in such pernicious political polemics, parading as jingoist journalism, your vitriolic and venomous invectives against the PLP will have the unintended consequences of encouraging Bahamians to register to vote and to cast that vote to return the PLP to office in next year’s general election.
In so many ways, you remind me and other Bahamians who remember, of another foreigner who sought to influence our domestic politics. Paul Knaur, a far smoother, tactful, rabid racist relic of yesteryear, sought in the late 1950s to coach the United Bahamian Party (UBP) as to what they needed to do to retain political power, despite the inevitable and jubilant march toward Majority Rule. Of course, we know what eventually resulted from his efforts. It was the UBP, unlike the PLP, in your words, that was relegated to the garbage bin of history.
Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis & Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
can it be that people like the PLP b/c they are the only party in this country that we can truly say look out for bahamians ? the Free. Nanny. Man. them ain’t do chit for the poor people in this country. and the don’t ask don’t tell DNA just trying to ride on the poor bahamians back b/c they know we hungry for change! but not from bad to worst. no way am going to gamble another 5yrs. i going green! money green what perry them ga put in we pockets with all the projects and work they will provide for bahamians.
I would be the first to say, BP & John are the most researched and entertaining writers in this country today.
Example:“…when the PLP were unceremoniously dumped into what we all hoped would be the garbage bin of history…” Lol! Lol!, only BP or John could have come up with that line Lol!!
marquis them can’t get they own country in order yet they choose to get in the bahamains affair someone please tell this white cracker to take his cancer looking ass back where he from which is on the next side of the world how can he fix his mouth to try in diss perry this man look like he ready to drop out from cancer any minute he should be spending his last days praying but it’s obvious he came to our sweet bahama land to die. lol
@Kevin Evans
Where have you been the last 40 yrs?The Tribune has been vitriolic for this entire period and yet you continually write letters to them but never criticise.I am on this site as when I came BP was so anti PLP I vomited before I got involved in challenging them.Have you challenged the Tribune or Nassau Guardian?I answer for you,no.I say one thing tp you and the other pundits,the shoe is on the other foot now and should be constantly used.Marcass is a nobody who only reminds me of the UBP and we all know they are off the table.
BP reports on what Bahamians can emotionally relate to in our daily lives. The mainstream media is trying to play catch up to BP, but we all know their heart’s just ain’t in what the write about.
The two Dailies are preaching to their readers who are more interested in reading History than what more and more Bahamians are just plain fed up with. BP is playing a much greater role in appealing to the younger undecided voters, even though they lean PLP, and it’s going to be these voters who will play the most important role, in electing in the next government,
TAL WE REPORT AND YINNER DECIDE!
BP
@Stacy
You are a four legged donkey,who lacks looks, education,pride,confidence.Remove yourself from among us and go where Markaiss lives and be his foot stool.Go to church and ask for forgiveness for being so stupid.
I have read many articles in BP that were very caustic and degrading towards FNM MPs and PM Ingraham.Mr Marquis’ articles are no way near the level to some of them.I have seen articles calling FNM MPs the A-word,among other things in BP.I am not saying Marquis isn’t wrong and unbalance in what he writes.I am saying,however, that both he and BP are partisaned and biased in what they write.He,however,does not stoop to the level BP stoops to in denigrating politiians.The folks who are criticizing Marquis for what he wrote last week should also criticize BP for what it also publishes.What is good for the goose should be good for the gander.When I remarked that one of BP’s columns or letters to the editor was disrespectful,one of the bloggers told me to go away.In other words,they agreed with what the writer of the vitriolic article had to say about certain MPs.But now all of a sudden we are all riled up over Marquis’ article.We need to be fair.
Mr. Galanis et al here again we continue to get it wrong. It is not JM but the principals of the Tribune as it is in the UK i.e. R. Murdoch.
These are the racist and haters of Bahamians and we are the fools as we continue to make them rich as JM professed upon leaving as he too was able to remain and pay his bills when the PLP had an opportunity to refuse renewal of his work permit but was to afraid for whatever reason, unlike HAI who dealt with the head of the port and there was no further question!
I too no longer read his article nor do I support the Tribune in no endeavour whether it be civic or otherwise as its principals have only been out to destroy the Bahamas and Bahamians and along the way make themselves richer!! So if we want make an impact we need to begin by agitating as was done of old begin by refusing to participate in the Tribune’s crap, it is self defeating from a personal and national standpoint!
Remember FORWARD UPWARD ONWARD TOGETHER as we are Bahamians JM is not!
I have never seen a group of people more afraid of an old man with a pen living halfway across the world.
I guess the pen is mightier than the sword!! LOL!!
God forbide if Marquis decided to also pick up a pencil!! LOL!!
Mr Galanis, your response to John Marquis is right on’Q’. He is an absolute disgrace. I used to read a lot of the garbage that he wrote two years ago, and found them distasteful, but his welcome back colum has shone a light on what is his intentions and that is to distract the voteing public (the Bahamian people) from the real issues facing us to date, by the FNM GOVERNMENT. I AM ONE READER THAT WILL NOT BE FOOLED INTO READING HIS COLUMN AGAIN, AS I AM NOT PREPARED TO HAVE HIM FEED ME THE GARBAGE ABOUT THE HON. PERRY CHRISTIE, WHO IS A DECENT AND RESPECTED MAN, LOVED AND ADMIRED BY ME. AND SO JOHN MARQUIS COULD SELL HIS NONSENCE TO ANY FOOL WHO WOULD LISTEN TO HIM.
BP what is the difference between what you publish and what mr. Marquis is writing. This is just all too familiar.
Why do they hate us so much? Now of all the people an English man to write about our Bahamian brothers and sisters. A Bahamian can’t write this column? Foreigners again !!!
I hope they sen his SSA to jail just don’t let him out when the DNA sen his ass to jail
It is apparent that the dogs of the powers that be are on the loose in the name Mr.Marquis. I hope this next election becomes his Waterloo.
The difference between BP and Marquis is that Marquis is a foreigner in our country that chose to take sides openly and believes Bahamian are stupid. He is in need of a one way ticket back home…
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